Echeveria plant named ‘OVPEARLS11’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Echeveria plant named ‘OVPEARLS11’ which is characterized by succulent foliage that is somewhat loosely held in a basal rosette, glaucous foliage with a pale blue-grey general appearance, juvenile foliage with greyed-red tips, and mature foliage with apical margins and laminar tips which generally appear as a soft pink coloration. The new variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Echeveria elegans x pulidonis.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Echeveria disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘OVPEARLS11’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘OVPEARLS11’ is a seedling selection, presumed to be the result of the open pollination of an unnamed Echeveria elegans plant (unpatented), the seed parent, and a plurality of unnamed Echeveria pulidonis plants (not patented), the presumed pollen parent. The exact pollen parent is unknown. The crossing is believed to have occurred in the summer of 2016 at a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. In early 2017, one seedling from said cross was observed to exhibit unique foliage and growth characteristics when compared to the parent plants and all other progeny. After confirming the stability of the unique characteristics first observed, the new plant was selected for commercialization and given the name, ‘OVPEARLS11’.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS11’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in the autumn of 2017 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Through eleven subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘OVPEARLS11’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘OVPEARLS11’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OVPEARLS11’ as a new and distinct Echeveria cultivar:

-   -   1. ‘OVPEARLS11’ exhibits a flattened globular to globular         profile with succulent foliage that is somewhat loosely held in         a basal rosette; and     -   2. ‘OVPEARLS11’ exhibits concaved oblanceolate foliage with an         apiculate apex which is curled upward; and     -   3. ‘OVPEARLS11’ exhibits glaucous foliage that is covered with a         layer of greyed-green epicuticular wax which gives the foliage a         pale blue-grey appearance; and     -   4. ‘OVPEARLS11’ exhibits juvenile foliar margins that are         lightly suffused with greyed-red along the apical margins and         laminar tip; and     -   5. ‘OVPEARLS11’ exhibits mature foliage with light purple apical         margins and greyed-purple laminar tips which generally appears         as a soft pink coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘OVPEARLS11’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 1 year old, shown planted in an 8.5 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘OVPEARLS11’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVPEARLS11’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVPEARLS11’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in December of 2021 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 1 year old ‘OVPEARLS11’ plants grown in 8.5 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria which consisted of minimal subsurface irrigation, fertilizer applications, and chemical pest control measures against thrips as required. No other chemical pest and disease control measures were taken. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began to mature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘OVPEARLS11’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘OVPEARLS11’ and a comparison with the parent plants and closest known comparator is provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a             non-branched basal rosette, eventually forms a short stem             with age.         -   Plant form.—Flattened globular to flattened.         -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—6.5 cm.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 15.3 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting             — Approximately 5 weeks at an approximate temperature of 21             degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 1 year to produce             a marketable plant in a 7 cm container.         -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither             resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria pests and             diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once             established; high tolerance to wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots. -   Stems:     -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves in a basal rosette, eventually             forming a short, unbranched stem with age; no lateral             branching.         -   Quantity of main stems.—1.         -   Main stem dimensions.—3.2 cm long and 0.35 cm in diameter.         -   Internode length.—0.3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Rounded.         -   Attitude.—Nearly vertical.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture and luster.—Glabrous, glaucous; covered with a thin             layer of epicuticular wax which is colored a translucent             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 193B.         -   Color, when developing.—Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 193A.         -   Color of mature stem.—Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 193A.         -   Color at internodes.—Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 192B. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 90 leaves per rosette.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Dimensions.—5.9 cm long, 2.1 cm wide, and 0.7 cm thick, on             average.         -   Aspect.—Slightly concave; distalmost portion of the lamina             is curled upward at an average angle of 30 degrees.         -   Attitude.—Juvenile foliage at the center of the rosette             exhibits a near-vertical attitude; foliage becomes             progressively more relaxed as it matures and becomes nearly             horizontal to slightly pendulous at the outer whorls of the             rosette.         -   Apex.—Apiculate; occasionally undulated with a single wave             near the apex, on one side of the lamina.         -   Base.—Long cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; occasionally with some slight undulation             along one side of the lamina, at and near the apex.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial             surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to strongly             glaucous.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial             surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to strongly             glaucous.         -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Yellow-green,             nearest to RHS 147B; fading lighter towards the base,             nearest to RHS 147D; margined with a lighter shade of             yellow-green, nearest to a combination of RHS 145C and 145D;             apical margins and laminar tip are lightly suffused with             greyed-red, nearest to RHS 182A. Leaves are covered with a             thin layer of epicuticular wax which is colored             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 188A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial             surface — Nearest to a combination of green and             greyed-green, RHS 138A, 138B, and 191A; fading lighter             towards the base, nearest to a mixture of RHS 193A and 193B;             margined greyed-green, nearest to RHS 193B; laminar tip is             lightly suffused with greyed-red, nearest to RHS 182B.             Leaves are covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax             which is colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189C. Mature             foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to a mixture of             RHS NN137B and NN137C; fading to yellow-green towards the             base, nearest to RHS 146C; margins are yellow-green, nearest             to RHS 147D, and suffused with purple, distally, nearest to             RHS N77B; laminar tip is greyed-purple, RHS 187C. Leaves are             covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax which is             colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 188A. Mature foliage,             abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to a combination of             RHS 146B and 147B; fading lighter towards the base, nearest             to RHS 147D; margins are yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147D;             suffused with purple, distally, nearest to RHS N77B; laminar             tip is greyed-purple, RHS 187C. Leaves are covered with a             thin layer of epicuticular wax which is colored             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189C.         -   Venation.—Pattern — No venation is visible. Color, adaxial             surface — No venation is visible. Color, abaxial surface —             No venation is visible.         -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS11’ differ from the seed parent, an unnamed Echeveria elegans plant (not patented) in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘OVPEARLS11’ The seed parent. Foliage length. Longer than the parent. Shorter than ‘OVPEARLS11’. Foliar apex. Apiculate; more elongated Apiculate; blunter than than the seed parent. ‘OVPEARLS11’. Foliage thickness. Thinner than the parent. Thicker than ‘OVPEARLS11’. Coloration of the Yellow-green margins with Yellow-green. juvenile foliar a greyed-red laminar tip. margins and laminar tip. Coloration of the Apical margins are lightly Yellow-green. mature foliar suffused with purple; margins and laminar tip is greyed- laminar tip. purple.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS11’ differ from the pollen parent, an unnamed Echeveria pulidonis plant (not patented) in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘OVPEARLS11’ The pollen parent. Plant profile. Flattened to flattened Flattened globular, yet globular, yet nearer to nearer to globular by flattened by comparison comparison with with the parent. ‘OVPEARLS11’. Foliage thickness. Thicker than the parent. Thinner than ‘OVPEARLS11’. Coloration of the Yellow-green with a Dark red margins and juvenile foliar greyed-red laminar tip. laminar tip. margins and laminar tip.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS11’ differ from Echeveria hybrid ‘OVPEARLS10’ (for which a U.S. patent application is being filed concurrently with the instant application), which is the closest known comparator, in the following characteristics described in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘OVPEARLS11’ ‘OVPEARLS10’ Plant size. Shorter with a Taller but less spreading, greater spread, relative to ‘OVPEARL11’. relative to ‘OVPEARLS10’. Foliage size. Larger than Smaller than ‘OVPEARLS10’. ‘OVPEARLS11’. Foliage shape. Oblanceolate. Near-oblong to broad oblanceolate. Foliar margin Entire. Occasionally with some undulation. slight undulation along one side of the lamina, at and near the apex. Coloration of the Distal margins Apical margins and laminar mature foliar and laminar tip tip are more prominently margins and are conspicuously colored purple to greyed- laminar tip. margined purple purple. to greyed-purple. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveria elegans x pulidonis plant named ‘OVPEARLS11’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 